...to play the second fiddle, well.
Meaning: Know your place and don't b***h and you better do it well because people are counting on you and you will not get any direct re-inforcement of your actions (no endorphins). Suck it up and deal.
You are a class that sings and dances and plays is primarily a support class. Alone, you can do some pretty impressive things, but no one can see it. In a group, some OK things but you are not the first picked and often an afterthought. In a multi group event, few of your class are needed to make others look spectacular but every metric used only shows those others, not you.
On a one account one character server, How do you become known as being one who plays the second fiddle, well? one who is seen as master of being second place. E.B White's "Sir Gawain and the Green knight" and the french "humilite"
In all honestly combat pacing in terms of how fast/long you can keep going comes down to your healer and support. As someone who primarily plays a healer, I can always tell when I lack support. If I am being honest, finding support does come second place to finding a tank. However, if I don't have the support I am generally not happy. A decent support can grant me the ability to cause chaos, which is usually a fun experience.
I'll be honest supports only play second fiddle when their potential isn't being maximized to its fullest. Once I understand the limits of my group composition, I don't allow for anyone's potential to be underplayed. If I have 10% mana that is usually not an excuse for a med break if everyone else is good on resources.
A class like the LOTRO captain or the Vanguard bard can be both fun and relaxing to play in a group. The buffs do add great value and if one is too slow or clumsy or has too crappy a connection to be near the top of the parse even for one's class one still is adding value. By enhancing the younger quicker players with good connections.
I hope to be playing a support class afaik, and I will be squeezing the most out of it (and hence the group).
Gonna roll with the comment by FatedEmperor.
I enjoy being a valuable support class. I wish to help the group in any way I can and sacrifice myself, if need be, for the survival of healers and damage dealers.
But I also join a lot of random groups in multiplayer games and thus I am exposed to some of the trolls or toxic players in the environment. It is at this point the devil within me is fed. When the opportunity is ripe, when the hopes and expectations at at a peak, I'll pull the rug from under the toxic player and casually munch a snack while looking over their corpse and listen to the pitiful pleas for a revive. No class contains the ability set to crowd control and pull and trap and escape like some of the support classes. I love you all but my adoration is fleeting if I detect malice.
Manouk said:You are a class that is primarily a support class. Alone, you can do some pretty impressive things, but no one can see it. In a group, some OK things but you are not the first picked and often an afterthought. In a multi group event, few of your class are needed to make others look spectacular but every metric used only shows those others, not you.
Did you ever play an EQ1 Shaman? Amazing support class, one of the broadest set of tools for any situation. Stat Buffs, Resists Buffs, Movement Buffs, Heals, Regens, Stat debuffs, Resist Debuffs, Roots (Virulent Paralysis best ever) and amazing DoTs and decent Nukes. Sure, you don't show up on the DPS charts, but a raid without a few Shaman is a dead raid. I loved knowing that, through me, everyone else was made better. Shaman were the best force multiplier and that's what I'd better see in Pantheon.
Manouk said:...to play the second fiddle, well.
You are a class that sings and dances and plays is primarily a support class. Alone, you can do some pretty impressive things, but no one can see it. In a group, some OK things but you are not the first picked and often an afterthought. In a multi group event, few of your class are needed to make others look spectacular but every metric used only shows those others, not you.
I have a different perspective. There is no real second fiddle... A good group needs a combination of Tank, DPS, Healer, and CC. The Tank has to be more than a meat shield.. they have to be able to manage agro well; however, others need to be responsable about thier agro. That said is it possible to have a group without a Tank... sure... it will struggle but it can be done. A group wihtout a Healer is either going to wipe often or go very... very slow. A group without DPS may not be able to overcome some groups ending in a stailmate. I group wihtout CC can easily be over ran. Basically what I am saying is that just because one is not in the forfront of the battle does not make them second fiddle. The only time that this feeling comes into play is when the EXP is based on damage and not contribution. But then how do you determine the value of the Mitigation Buff, or the Heal? It is easy for DPS classes based on damage... be then what about a Tank that kept the mobs off the group; the Healer that kept the group standing; or the CC that kept the group from being wiped. Doing an equal division makes it more balanced but also allows explotation. Ultimately, that is more of an EXPerience conversation though.
The other aspect of the comment is also important. I would state it more like "Which ever class you choose learn it and play it well." Ultimately, your reputation will define the groups you get into (or not), at least if the community is as vibrant has VR is aiming.